


Dangerous

by MelJoyAZ



Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Genre: M/M, Non-Canon Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2013-10-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 03:21:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1013484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelJoyAZ/pseuds/MelJoyAZ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Liam Bell Story</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dangerous

Liam Bell stood in a shadowed alcove on a street corner in Fells Point, Baltimore, Maryland. He didn’t know why he was here, watching Tyler’s house. There was no point to it, no purpose. It’s just that he couldn’t be in the same city that Tyler was in and not be near him, just for a little while. Liam snorted to himself. It wasn’t like he’d pined away for the man these many years, but there was something about Ty…he was the man that Liam had never been able to forget, not completely. As much as he wanted to. As much as he’d tried to.

Liam was originally supposed to be in Baltimore only for a day or two, and there wasn’t anything he hated more than fucking incompetence. The information that he was here to receive wasn’t ready as promised, and now he was forced to cool his heels for maybe another week. Liam was bored, and when he was bored, he was dangerous. So now he was in Ty’s neighborhood, watching Ty’s house. Because fuck you.

As he stood leaning against the wall of the building, deep in the shadows, idly smoking, he heard the roar of a motorcycle coming down the street. He watched as Zane Garrett rolled to a stop in front of the house, dismounted, and fussed with the saddlebags on the side of the bike, removing what looked like a briefcase and a plastic bag filled with whatever. 

Zane Garrett. Now there was a hot piece of ass. Liam’s eyes traced every inch of Zane’s long, lean body. That man hit a lot of Liam’s buttons, the ones he’d known he had, and the ones he now knew he had. Zane was a bad-ass, a stone killer, the way he’d slit those cartel thugs’ throats without even a flinch….yes, Liam liked that. He’d also enjoyed the show that Zane and Ty had put on in whatever-the-fuck that bar was called in New Orleans, that godforsaken fucking city. Liam had reveled in witnessing Ty’s pain at the hands of someone he loved. How well Liam knew that feeling. Asshole.

Liam shoved aside his painful memories as he watched Garrett run lightly up the steps to the row house, digging a key out of his pocket and letting himself in. Hmmm, Liam thought. Tyler and Zane living together? He stored the information away for a rainy day. 

It wasn’t long before a cab pulled up in front of the house and the source of Liam’s deepest hidden pain stepped out. Liam watched as Ty dug in his pocket for some cash, handed it to the driver with a flourish and a jaunty wave, then jogged up the stairs to his house and disappeared inside. Liam absently rubbed the scar on his chest, over his heart. The wound that Tyler had given him, the wound that still hurt in so many ways, and not just physically.

He realized that his fingers were clenched so hard that he’d broken his cigarette in half, and he flung it away with a soft curse. Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes and reached inside himself for that calm, that numbness that he’d spent so many years cultivating, feeling the blessed relief spread through his body as he shoved everything back into its box and slammed the lid down tight. He became utterly still, a statue, barely breathing as he waited. Waiting for what, he didn’t know. He just waited.

****

Ty tossed his keys down on the counter, stripping off his suit jacket as he climbed the stairs to the bedroom. What a shitty day, he thought. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy his new job, he did; but he was still in the learning curve that came with any new position, and he didn’t like feeling at a loss. It would just take patience, a virtue that Ty knew he’d never have. He sighed heavily.

He walked into the bedroom and heard the water running from the bathroom. Sauntering over to the open doorway, he took in the sight of his lover bent over the bathroom sink washing his face. Zane was wearing nothing but a pair of tight black boxer briefs, and his long legs and incredible ass were on blatant display. Ty drank in the sight for a moment before stepping up behind an oblivious Zane and staring over Zane’s shoulder at his own face in the mirror, waiting. Zane finished rinsing his face and straightened slightly, a startled gasp and yelp coming from him as he focused on Ty’s face that had suddenly materialized in the mirror in front of him.

“Jesus Christ, Ty!” Zane cried, turning and swatting at Ty’s chest. Ty convulsed in laughter as he reached up and gripped Zane’s shoulders to hold himself up.

“Works every time, sucker,” he crowed, leaning against Zane as he howled.

Zane shoved him away in mock annoyance as he walked back into the bedroom, rummaging in his drawer for a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

“Why you get such a kick out of scaring the shit out of me, I’ll never know,” he muttered as he pulled the t-shirt over his head.

“Just because I can, baby,” Ty drawled, starting to strip off his suit, opening a few drawers of his own looking for something comfy to change into. “You’re so easy.”

Zane glared at him a moment before his face softened with affection, and he stepped closer to Ty and pulled him into his arms.

“Now that we got that out of the way and you’ve had your fun, where’s my kiss?”

Ty growled and wrapped his arms around Zane’s neck, diving into a hot and messy kiss, just the way they both liked it. Zane gripped Ty’s ass and squeezed, then started to inch him over in the direction of the bed.

Ty broke the kiss and pushed against Zane’s chest, leaning away. “Oh, no, sir. If you want sexual favors, you gotta feed me first. I skipped lunch and I’m starving.” As if on cue, Ty’s stomach rumbled loudly and Ty reached down and rubbed it soothingly. Zane stared down at Ty’s flat belly like it offended him, and then he hauled off and whapped Ty hard in the chest with his knuckles.

“Ow!”

“I’m picking the place, then.”

“Italian,” they both said in unison, Ty glaring at Zane, enjoying this game they always played.

“Mmmm, Italian, my favorite,” Zane murmured, grinning.

Ty finished pulling on his clothes, his words muffled as he said,“Fine, we’ll go gawk at the hot waiter while we eat. Look your fill, Garrett, I don’t care. We both know who you’re coming home with tonight.”

“I’ll buy you some cheesecake, baby,” Zane said soothingly as they walked down the stairs together.

“Who needs cheesecake? I got my dessert right here.” Ty grabbed a handful of Zane’s ass and squeezed as they let themselves out the door, laughing.

****

Liam straightened as Ty and Zane emerged through the front door of their house and walked down the steps. They ambled slowly up the sidewalk, their steps leading them directly toward where Liam was hiding. He tensed, pulling back as far as he could into the shadows of the alcove. He could hear their voices rumbling as they drew closer, and as he peered at them cautiously he saw that they had their hands linked together as they walked.

Holding hands in public, Tyler? My, my, my, Liam thought. Had they come out, then? Liam hadn’t kept up with Ty except in the most general terms during the last year and a half. He knew that Ty had left the FBI when he’d been re-activated to his Marine unit and deployed, and oh, how Liam had longed to track Ty down then, maybe find him out in some godforsaken desert in the middle of nowhere and…Liam let the thought trail off. No time for dreams now. He needed to be on guard as the two men drew closer.

They were almost within spitting distance of Liam when he heard Ty growl, “I’ll take an advance on my dessert now.” Zane growled back as Ty shoved him directly toward the alcove that Liam was sheltering in. If they hadn’t been so caught up in each other at that moment, he would have been seen. As it was, he slipped away fast, his head down, brushing by them without a word, his heart pounding at the close call. He risked a glance over his shoulder and saw Ty press Zane back against the wall, gripping his hair and holding him still as he kissed him passionately. Zane’s hands snaked around Ty’s hips to grab his ass and pull him close.

Liam curled his lip at them as he hurried away.

****

Ty suddenly lifted his head, breaking the kiss. His eyes narrowed as he looked around. There was something…off…about the guy they’d just surprised in this alcove. For that brief moment in time all he could think about was getting Zane pressed against a flat surface so that Ty could kiss and grope him, but when the man had brushed by them without a word, it struck Ty belatedly that there was something familiar about him, the way he moved, a scent….?

Ty shook his head, noticing that Zane was gaping at him.

“What?” Zane asked.

“I don’t know,” Ty said slowly. “I just felt….I don’t know. Something was weird about that guy, something that makes my senses tingle.” He winced as he realized how that sounded.

“You’ve felt a disturbance in the Force,” Zane said in his best Darth Vader voice, shaking with laughter.

Ty pulled completely away and socked Zane in the stomach, reveling in his lover’s loud “oof.”

“Shut the fuck up,” he muttered. “There was something weird about that guy, I’m telling you. Keep an eye out.”

“I don’t know what I’d be keeping my eye out for, idiot,” Zane said reasonably. “I didn’t see anything other than your pretty face coming toward me, about to kiss the hell out of me. Which I liked and wasn’t quite ready to stop doing, by the way.”

“Too bad, not in the mood anymore,” Ty grunted. “Let’s just go eat.”

Zane sighed with exasperation and took Ty’s hand again.

“Maybe you’ll be less grumpy once I get some food into you.”

“Just keep your eyes off of that damn waiter and we’ll be fine.”

****

Liam peered out from his new hiding place as Ty and Zane passed him again, bickering amicably. He shivered, the cold sweat from his close call drying on his skin. He wasn’t usually this careless, and it was alarming. Tyler Grady brought out the worst in him, and that was one of the reasons that he hated the man, for once Liam had given Ty the absolute best of himself and Ty had thrown it away like garbage. Now Ty would have to live with Liam’s worst. And it was coming. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but it was coming.

With those dark thoughts crowding his mind, Liam watched Ty and Zane ascend the steps to a small Italian restaurant called Chiaparelli’s. The smells that wafted from the place as the door opened and closed behind them were mouthwatering. Liam suddenly realized how hungry he was.

He took up a position across the street where he could see the front door clearly, and he saw Ty and Zane seated at a table next to the large window. Liam smirked; Ty was getting careless in his old age and happiness. No way would he have made himself such an enticing target once upon a time. Liam’s fingers itched for a sniper rifle. Such an easy shot. Liam could just picture plate glass exploding, screams, blood and brains splattering…

A grieving, vulnerable Zane Garrett. Hmm, the thought was seductive: Liam reappearing out of nowhere, a link to Ty that Zane would grab onto with both hands. A decent mourning period, Liam putting on his best acting skills, the award at the end possibly Zane in his bed. Liam would revel in taking what had once been Ty’s, that’s for sure. The thought was so arousing that Liam grew hard, and his hand snaked down to rub himself through his jeans. He needed to get laid, he mused idly.

As he watched, a very handsome waiter walked up to the table and started to take Zane’s order. A very handsome waiter, Liam noticed with awakened interest. Zane thought so, too, the way he grinned up at the young man. Liam noticed that Ty was gripping his butter knife tightly, and he brandished it at Zane behind the kid’s back. Zane winked at Ty, then deliberately placed his hand on the waiter’s arm as he pointed at the menu and appeared to be asking a question.

The games lovers play, Liam thought in disgust. He was already bored with it. 

He lit up a cigarette and smoked lazily, watching as Ty and Zane were served their dinner and ate heartily, talking and laughing animatedly. The waiter came up to them often, once pulling up a chair and sitting down with them for a while. The three of them seemed very friendly with each other, and Liam surmised that the two men must eat here often. He decided to go in after they left and check it out. Liam was a firm believer in the there-was-no-such-thing-as-too-much-information school of thought. He gathered tidbits here and there, storing them away until they could be of use. Maybe this restaurant, this young man, could be of use to Liam someday, even if it was in the most innocuous of ways.

Suddenly, Italian food sounded very, very good.

****

Ryan Morelli finished wiping and clearing the table, pocketing his large tip with a smile. He loved it when Ty and Zane came in to eat, and not only because he made out like a bandit with the money. They had been coming in regularly for what, almost two years now? Well, Zane had; there had been that period of time that Ty was gone, off to who-knows-where with the Marines.

He remembered the night he’d heard the news. Leticia had handed him a take-out bag and instructed him to run it over to Ty and Zane’s house as quick as he could. He had, surprised by how grim and silent Zane was when he answered the door. Usually he was smiling, joking, flirting lightly with Ryan in order to get a rise out of his volatile partner. Ryan enjoyed their game, and he entered into it with enthusiasm most nights, giving Zane an extra piece of bread, the bigger piece of cheesecake, letting his hand brush Zane’s shoulder a little too often as he filled up his iced tea. It was harmless fun, and the three of them got a kick out of it.

But that night Zane had taken the bag of food with a quiet, almost inaudible thank-you and shut the door in his face. Ryan was worried, and he’d hurried back to the restaurant and asked Leticia some questions. She had shaken her head sadly, said that Mr. Ty had to go back “into the Army” and would be leaving soon, probably to fight in that useless, tragic war. Ryan was shaken, he’d had no idea that Ty was “in the Army.” He’d found out soon enough that it was actually the Marines when Ty himself had stopped by the restaurant two days later. Ryan couldn’t stop staring at Ty in his smart dress blues, his rucksack at his feet as he stood just inside the doorway.

Ryan, do me a favor, he’d said quietly. Ryan nodded earnestly, and Ty had told him that he had no idea how long he’d be gone for. He had asked Ryan to check in on Zane occasionally, take him some food once in a while, just be a friend if he needed it.

This will be hard on him, Ty had said, his voice grim. Ryan felt sorrow well up in him at the pain in Ty’s eyes, and he’d promised to do what he could. Ty had gripped his shoulder hard in thanks, turned and was gone.

As promised, about a week later Ryan had made up a care package of Zane’s favorite foods and walked it over to his house. Zane had opened the door, surprised to see Ryan, and a wistful smile had crossed his solemn face when he heard what Ty had asked of him.

Ryan hated to see Zane so subdued, and he’d impulsively asked if Zane would like some company while he ate. Zane blinked slowly, then said that he would, his voice sounding a little surprised.

So Ryan and Zane had sat on Zane’s front stoop while they shared the huge piece of cheesecake that Leticia had packed him. Ryan listened as Zane talked about Ty, about missing him, about how they were now out at work. Ryan wondered what the story was there. Zane had had a strange look cross his face at the memory, and he’d shaken his head, muttering what sounded like I can’t believe he did that.

After that, Zane had started to come back to Chiaparelli’s more or less regularly, almost like old times. When Ryan asked, Zane told him that he had fallen into a routine, and that he was doing as well as could be expected. Ryan missed the flirting, the games; he missed Ty, too.

Life went on, and one evening the door had burst open and Chiaparelli’s had been taken over by a huge welcome-home party. Ty was there, beaming, introducing Ryan to his teammates and he and Zane’s FBI co-workers. The restaurant had been filled with laughter and war stories and joking and teasing…it was wonderful. The entire staff had stayed late, keeping the wine and beer flowing freely, the food hot and plentiful. Ryan circulated happily, topping off glasses, clearing plates and bringing fresh ones, just soaking up the camaraderie and sense of homecoming.

Toward the end of the evening, after the staff had put the inebriated men and women into various cabs, Ryan had walked back into the main dining room and found Zane sitting in a chair set back into the corner, Ty perched on his lap. Ty was very drunk, and Zane was smiling as Ty sang loudly to him, his voice rich and beautiful but his words slurred and sloppy.

Need some help getting him home? Ryan had asked, and Zane had looked up at him gratefully. Together they got Ty back to the house as he stumbled and sang the entire way, Zane laughing, his face alight with love and relief at having his partner home at last.

Not long after, Ty and Zane started coming back in regularly for dinner, their flirting games with Ryan picking back up like they had never stopped. Tonight was no exception, and Ryan had a fond smile on his face at the memory as he heard the front door to the restaurant open and he turned to greet the new arrival.

****

Liam stepped into the restaurant, looking around with mild interest. Typical Italian décor, mouthwatering smells permeating the entire place. He saw the waiter he’d watched through the window turn from where he was wiping a table down and smile at him. Good-looking guy, tall, dark, well-built. He was wearing black pants and a tight black t-shirt, a white apron tied around a trim waist. 

Liam was already questioning what he thought he was going to accomplish here. Why would a goddamned waiter know fuck-all about Tyler Grady? Stupid idea. He watched with narrowed eyes as the man made his way toward him, and Liam let his eyes wander over what was actually a really impressive body. He shrugged to himself. Liam did want to get laid, and here was an available candidate, possibly good for a few sweaty fucks before Liam blew this pop stand. Might as well stay and eat, see what played out.

Liam took a deep breath, mentally sliding into the persona he thought of as Boring British Businessman. The alliteration always made him smile, and he had no trouble turning on the charm as the waiter approached him.

“Hello, sir, welcome to Chiaparelli’s. Table for one?” The man’s voice was rich and deep, pleasant to the ear. Liam felt a tingle go through him, imagining that voice begging, pleading, as Liam…fucked the ever-loving shit out of him. Liam pondered that for a split second. He normally preferred to bottom with the men he slept with, but all he could see in that moment was this man beneath him, taking him deep, wanting more….mmm, definite possibilities.

Liam nodded, letting his eyes warm to a friendly glow, knowing full well the effect it had on people. He saw the waiter swallow hard and flush but regain his composure quickly as he gathered up a menu and gestured for Liam to follow him to a table, introducing himself as he walked, listing the daily specials. Liam listened with half an ear and enjoyed the view of a fine, tight ass as he followed behind him, a smirk twisting his lips. 

****

Ryan leaned against the counter in the kitchen and took a deep breath. Wow. Not only was the guy drop-dead gorgeous, but that accent, so smooth and sexy. Ryan shivered; there was something so delicious about a British accent. 

Ryan blew out another breath, picked up a basket of hot bread along with some pats of butter and put it all on his tray next to the drink order that he’d already picked up from the bartender. As Ryan made his way back to the guy’s table, he looked him over again surreptitiously.

The man was shorter than Ryan was, maybe a shade under six feet. He was lean and muscular, not overly bulky, but wiry, trim. He had blond hair and bright blue eyes, a mouth that Ryan could get lost in for days. Absolutely his type. 

Ryan set the man’s drink down, along with the basket of bread and butter.

“Do you have any questions about the menu, sir? Or are you ready to order?”

The man leaned back in his seat and hooked his elbow over the back of his chair, the motion making his t-shirt pull tightly across his muscled chest and highlighting his impressive bicep. Ryan gulped, his mouth suddenly dry. 

“One question, yes,” the man said. Ryan leaned forward expectantly. His customer’s blue eyes were intent on his, and Ryan couldn’t look away.

“What’s your favorite?” The customer’s voice was almost a purr, and the smooth, sexy sound made Ryan’s pants suddenly get a little tighter. He was never more thankful for the apron tied around his waist than in that moment.

“What?” Ryan’s voice was hoarse, and he cleared his throat self-consciously.

“Your favorite?”

“My favorite…what?” Ryan couldn’t think, his mind felt scrambled, disjointed. 

“Thing to eat. What do you like to eat?” The voice was soft, an undercurrent of wicked amusement running through it.

“Oh! My favorite thing on the menu?” Ryan pulled himself together. “Well, that would probably be the gnocchi Bolognese. It’s really excellent.” The man nodded, his eyes still glinting with laughter, and Ryan wrote it down on his little pad, asked him about soup or salad, the professional waiter back in control. 

Ryan turned away, preparing to walk to the kitchen with the man’s order, then something made him turn back, some devil on his shoulder, and lean down to murmur in the man’s ear.

“But my most favorite thing to eat EVER is a Late Night Dog from Stuggy’s, a hot dog with fried egg, bacon, stuffed mushrooms. Mmmm. Best thing I’ve ever… put in my mouth.” Ryan grinned as he walked away, the man’s surprised snort of laughter following him.

****

Liam sat nursing his second cup of coffee as he watched the waiter, Bryan or Ryan, whatever, moving around the restaurant, working his tables, bussing, cleaning. Liam’s eyes moved lazily over him, enjoying the movements of his body as he bent over, stretched, reached. Damn, he was a hot piece.

And he had surprised Liam with that crack about putting the hot dog in his mouth. Liam’s lips curved at the memory, even as it sent a bolt of heat through him, imagining the possibilities. His first impression of the waiter had been, yeah, he’s hot but nothing special, not worth expending too much energy on trying to get him into bed when Liam could go to a club and find someone equally hot who was ready and willing to fuck. Then he’d shown Liam that flash of sly humor, innuendo, and Liam thought maybe there were some hidden depths there that might be fun to ferret out. He was bored and had time on his hands. Why the fuck not?

The thing is, a man that good-looking, men and women must hit on him all the time, wanting pretty much only to fuck him and/or be seen with him. Liam could imagine he had some pretty sturdy defenses up for that sort of thing, and it would be a challenge to get past them. Liam was in the mood for a challenge; anything was better than boredom at this point.

He sat and twirled his empty coffee cup as he strategized lazily, enjoying the anticipation. That he would succeed, Liam had no doubt. He’d always gotten what he wanted, with one glaring exception…his eyes narrowed as his thoughts drifted back to Tyler, pleasant thoughts about a high-velocity bullet, a shattered skull and spattered brains. He’d been so close at that abandoned amusement park in goddamned New Orleans. If it hadn’t been for that fucking bitch stepping in front of Tyler at the last moment…

“Are you finished, sir? More coffee?” The waiter’s rich voice broke into Liam’s musings, and he started visibly. Damn, he really was getting soft.

“Yes, I’m finished, and no to more coffee. I’m afraid I’ve run out of reasons to linger,” Liam put a little hint of regret in his voice, watching in satisfaction as the man blushed slightly. First shot at the target, direct hit.

“Unless you’d like to join me in a cup….” He let his voice trail off suggestively.

“I can’t, I have a delivery to make,” Bryan or Ryan said apologetically, pointing to a take-out bag that was sitting on the front counter near the door. 

Liam shrugged. “Another time, then.” 

He stood and pulled out his wallet, intending to settle the bill and leave. Tomorrow was another day, and he really had to decide if he cared enough to put any more effort into this. He was leaning toward not caring; Liam didn’t care about much of anything.

“Ryan!” The Italian-accented voice of the restaurant’s owner made both of their heads swivel in her direction. Okay, that settled the question of the damn kid’s name, Liam thought with amusement.

“I’m adding a carton of iced tea to Mr. Zane’s cheesecake order, okay? Get it out of the fridge before you walk over there,” she called, bustling back toward the kitchen.

Liam’s ears pricked up. Okay, so maybe he could care for a few more minutes. This might be interesting.

“You’re walking to your delivery?” he asked casually, pulling several bills from his wallet and handing them to Ryan. “Keep the change.”

Ryan walked over to the cash register and Liam followed behind. He watched Ryan’s eyes widen as he settled the bill and realized exactly how much was left over. He raised his eyebrows at Liam.

“I always reward good service,” Liam purred, smirking as Ryan flushed again. 

“My customer doesn’t live far, so I’ll walk over there, yes. He forgot his cheesecake after dinner tonight, so he called for me to run it over there. I don’t mind, he’s a really nice guy.”

He disappeared into the kitchen for a brief moment, returning with a large carton of iced tea, which he added to the take-out bag sitting on the counter.

“Well, thanks for coming in, sir. I hope you enjoyed your meal,” Ryan said tentatively. “I need to get going. Thank you for the tip.”

“You’re welcome.” Liam said softly. He held the front door open for Ryan and then followed him out.

Ryan smiled at him and started down the sidewalk in the direction of Ty and Zane’s house. After a moment, so it would look more like an afterthought, Liam called out, “Hey!” He jogged a little to catch up with Ryan.

“Do you mind if I walk with you? I could use a little exercise after that heavy meal,” he said with a disarming smile. Ryan hesitated a moment, as if mulling over the wisdom of walking off into the dark with a total stranger. Liam fought not to let his smile grow wolfish. If the kid only knew. If he only knew that if Liam so desired it, he’d be dead on the ground in a split second; here one minute, gone the next. He could have obliterated that entire restaurant full of people before anybody even thought to pull a cell phone out to call for help. No, darling, you’re definitely not safe with me.

Liam dug his cigarettes out and lit one casually. “It’s a nice night for a walk, too.”

Ryan smiled. “It is, isn’t it? Sure, come on. It won’t take long.”

“So who are these customers that rate a special delivery of a forgotten cheesecake?” Liam asked, flicking ash away from his cigarette as they ambled down the sidewalk.

“Oh, this couple that live not far from here. They come in all the time, and they’re really nice people.”

“Those two men that I saw you sitting and talking with?” The words were out before Liam totally thought them through, and he cursed to himself silently and viciously.

“Yes,” Ryan said slowly. “But how did you…I think they were gone before you came in. In fact I know they were, because I was cleaning their table.” His eyes had grown suspicious, and he stopped walking.

Damn, this guy was sharp. Liam liked that, but right now his brain was scrambling. He needed to get a fucking grip, this was the third time tonight that he’d slipped. None of these thoughts showed on his face as he shrugged, holding up his cigarette for Ryan to see.

“I stood outside the restaurant smoking for a while before I came in,” he said. “I couldn’t decide if I was hungry or not, and then I saw you sitting and talking to a couple of guys while you waited on them. It looked like a friendly place.” He breathed a silent sigh of relief as he saw Ryan’s face relax.

“Plus, the smell coming from the restaurant was divine, and the scenery was…is…most excellent.”

Ryan smiled, and his eyes warmed. Good save. Now focus, idiot. They started walking again slowly.

“So…” Ryan said shyly. “Are you here on business?”

Liam smiled, and started spinning the Boring British Businessman story that he always used. He worked in quality control for a major pharmaceutical company based in London, was here doing a series of inspections, sometimes they were over quickly, sometimes they took months, blah, blah, blah. Liam could recite it in his sleep. 

Ryan acted truly interested, and asked several questions about life in England, forcing Liam to expand and embellish. It kept Liam on his toes, and as he walked and talked, he realized that he kind of liked this man. It had been a long time since anyone was truly interested in Liam for “himself,” and even if it was an enormous pack of fucking lies, he was enjoying the conversation.

Before long, Ryan stopped in front of Ty’s row house, and Liam immediately felt the tension that always gripped him when Tyler was near.

“I’m going to step away over here,” he said, waving back toward the street corner, “and grab another quick smoke.”

“Should only be a sec,” Ryan said with a smile as he trotted up the stairs and rang the doorbell.

Liam stood in the shadows and watched as Zane answered the door, taking the bag with a smile on his handsome face, leaning against the doorjamb for a minute while he spoke with Ryan. Liam couldn’t hear what was being said, but it was an affable, relaxed conversation. Suddenly Ty appeared at Zane’s shoulder, and Liam stiffened. He watched as Ty slid his arms around Zane’s waist, acting like he was tugging him back inside. The three of them laughed, and then Ryan turned away, heading back down the steps to the sidewalk.

“Have a good trip, Zane!” he called back over his shoulder, and Liam saw Zane raise a hand in acknowledgment before shutting the door firmly.

“They going on a trip?” Liam asked casually when Ryan had rejoined him. This was valuable information. Liam didn’t know exactly what he would do with it, but still…and Ryan was obviously fairly good friends with the two men, and Liam felt his interest in him surge once more. 

“No, just Zane. The guy that answered the door,” Ryan clarified. “He’s an FBI agent, and he’s going to New York, I think, for a week or so. He leaves tomorrow.”

Liam’s thoughts started racing. Maybe he was going about this all wrong. Instead of Tyler’s brains spattered on a wall, he could suddenly picture Zane, alone in a dangerous city. Footsteps behind him on a dark street, a night-time mugging, a knife to the ribs or slashed across a tender throat, assailant unknown and never found. What would that do to Ty? Liam would maybe like to see that, witness Ty’s unfathomable pain, watch him try to live his life after losing the man he loved.

“Uh…sir?” Ryan’s deep voice pulled him out of that pleasant reverie, and Liam realized they had walked more than halfway back to the restaurant in silence, and he could only imagine what the look on his face had been like. Unholy glee, perhaps? But Ryan looked unperturbed.

“What’s your name, anyway? I never asked.”

Liam turned and held out his hand to shake, and Ryan took it. “Colin Travers, at your service.” They shook hands, and Liam let his fingers trail across Ryan’s palm as their hands parted. He saw Ryan catch his breath in a small gasp, and satisfaction lanced through him. Shot number two, right on target. He ignored the way his own fingers tingled.

****

A couple of days later, Ryan leaned against the wall outside the back door of Chiaparelli’s, taking deep breaths of the crisp spring night air. He’d been working hard today, and he finally had time for a quick break before he went back in to help with the closing up. He needed to get away from the smell of Italian food for a little while, and he wanted time to process his disappointment at not seeing Colin tonight.

Colin. The other man had come in for dinner again the night before, and he had stayed for hours, kicked back in a comfortable booth in the corner. Whenever Ryan had a minute, he’d join him, sharing a quick cup of coffee or a glass of water. It didn’t matter. Colin was so easy to talk to, and he seemed to like Ryan, too. Ryan had entertained him with stories of some of his more colorful customers, Ty and Zane included. Ryan thought they had really hit it off, but Colin hadn’t asked for his number before he left, just given him a smiling “cheerio” and a wave of his hand as he walked out the door. Disappointing, and then when he hadn’t come in for dinner tonight, well…

Ryan sighed. Why was it so hard to meet someone who actually liked him for him, and when it seemed that he had, the guy was only here on business? The last guy he’d gone out with, Brandon, Ryan had fallen head over heels for him quickly. They’d met at a grocery store, of all places, and Brandon had asked him if he’d wanted to go out dancing with him that night. They’d had a wonderful time, and before long, Brandon was spending most nights at Ryan’s place. Their relationship was a whirlwind of activity: parties, dancing, bars. Ryan had started to long for maybe a quiet night at home with a movie, snuggling together on the couch.

Then one night at a party, Ryan had gone to use the restroom and when he came around the corner, he heard Brandon talking with some friends. He’d been about to go up to him and see if he wanted to go home when he heard his name mentioned. He couldn’t help but stop and listen.

“How’d you score that Ryan guy, dude? He’s so fucking hot. Too hot for you!”

“Fuck if I know! I just asked him out and he said yes. I knew all of you would shit when you saw him. I’ve been showing him off everywhere I can.”

“Hell yeah, I shit when I saw him. Jesus. Are you fucking him yet?”

“Every night, man. Every goddamn night. And he’s as good as he looks, too.”

“Hot piece of ass like that, he’d have to be a fucking good lay. You ever get tired of nailing that, give him my number!”

Raucous laughter had greeted that remark, along with some high-fives and back slaps. Ryan had slipped away, and when Brandon came “home” that night, Ryan had handed him a bag full of the stuff he’d left at Ryan’s place and told him never to call him again. Then he’d shut the door firmly in Brandon’s sputtering face, waited through a few kicks to the door and loud curses and footsteps stomping away before giving in to the pain. He didn’t cry, but he felt like a little part of his soul had shattered. There was so much more to him than his looks, but no one, no one, had ever bothered to look beyond them. He thought maybe Colin might be one who would. He’d seemed to enjoy talking with Ryan and hadn’t said a word about anything more. Ryan had looked forward to seeing him tonight, hoping that maybe something more might be the natural progression of things, but it looked like it wasn’t going to happen. 

He leaned with his back against the wall, head tipped back, just enjoying the quiet and the fresh air. Suddenly he heard footsteps crunching on the dirt in the alley, and he rolled his head to the side to see Colin standing there, smiling at him.

“Hey,” Ryan said with some surprise. “I didn’t think I would see you tonight.”

“Had a meeting that ran late, but I wanted to stop by, see if you were still around.” Colin leaned up against the wall, too, but leading with his shoulder, facing Ryan. Ryan kept his head turned, his eyes tracing Colin’s features. He surmised that the other man was a good ten years older than he was, but he wore the years well. His eyes were a glowing blue in the dim light from the overhead street lamps.

“I’m still here, and will be for another hour or so,” Ryan said ruefully. “My night to close.” His breath seemed to freeze in his chest as Colin reached out with his hand and started toying with Ryan’s front-tied apron string, rubbing the short end of the string through his fingers. Ryan could feel the heat of the other man’s hand against his hip.

“How tired are you?” Colin murmured, his fingers rubbing, tugging on the string. “Too tired to go out with me after your shift?” His voice was low, his British accent washing over Ryan’s senses, seducing him.

“No, I’m not tired,” Ryan whispered back, his voice a little shaky.

“Good,” Colin’s voice was almost inaudible as he leaned in, his lips grazing Ryan’s ear. “I missed you today. I really wanted to see you tonight.” 

“Why?” Ryan couldn’t help but ask, waiting for the dreaded words, “Because you’re so beautiful, hot, gorgeous, fuckable.” Add any adjective in, Ryan had heard them all.

“Because I want you to take me to get one of those godawful-sounding hot dogs that you like to…put in your mouth.” Colin’s voice was stronger now, teasing.

Ryan felt a glow spread through him at the words, and he smiled. Colin’s breath seemed to catch at the sight.

“And because I like you, and I want to spend time with you before I…” he caught himself, but Ryan heard the unspoken words, “Before I leave for home.”

Ryan sighed, with both happiness and regret. “Pick me up here in an hour.”

****

Liam stood just inside the back door of Ty’s row house, letting his eyes adjust to the dark, listening to the silence. The door lock had been sturdy, but no match for Liam’s tools or his skill. No one was home, and Liam had an hour to kill. Zane was off in New York doing whatever the fuck FBI agents did, and Liam had learned through some skillful questioning of Ryan the night before that Tyler had decided to go spend the weekend with his brother in Philadelphia. Liam was amazed at how free Ty was with information these days, telling every Tom, Dick and Ryan his plans for leaving his house unattended. 

Ryan. Liam quite liked him, and he’d decided last night that he simply had to have him. There was that quality of naivete that appealed to Liam, and he wasn’t lying when he told him that he wanted to spend time with him. He did. It had been a long time since Liam had been with someone who didn’t want something from him. Any man he had fucked in the last ten years was a means to an end, and Liam had no illusions that the tables weren’t being turned as well. It was refreshing to, for lack of a better word, “date” someone who didn’t have any axe to grind, that Liam didn’t want to kill, that didn’t want to kill him. And sure, he was gleaning some useful information from Ryan, but it wasn’t like Liam was using him, per se. Ryan hadn’t told him anything that Liam couldn’t have found out on his own with a little surveillance. The man just saved him a little time, that’s all.

Then there was the added benefit of impermanence. Ryan knew that Liam was just here temporarily, so there wouldn’t be any messy scene when Liam got bored and decided to end it. He had a built-in excuse, Business is concluded, and I’m outta here. His informant at the FBI should come through with the delayed information any time now, and then Liam could leave this place behind, leave Tyler behind once more. Tyler. Their day was coming, but it wasn’t today. He would leave Tyler behind again and not look back.

But first, Liam was going to look through his shit.

Liam pocketed his lock-picking tools and pulled on some thin gloves, taking a small flashlight out of his pocket. He looked around, getting a feel for the place. It wasn’t what Liam had been expecting, which was a Spartan place with very few personal items, military precise. He hadn’t really thought of Tyler as having a life. But this…this was a real home. Eclectic touches throughout, well-read books organized on a bookshelf, a comfy leather couch, pictures on the wall. Liam stepped closer in order to see them better. Pictures of Ty with his Marine buddies, of he and Zane with other friends, laughing during backyard barbeques. Pictures of people that Liam surmised were family.

Then his eyes scanned over to a cluster of photos that were of Ty and Zane alone. On vacation, arms around each other in front of a tropical waterfall. Sitting together on a beach. Dressed in tuxes at what appeared to be someone’s wedding. Various and sundry photos that showed a happy couple living a happy life together. Liam curled his lip. Saps.

He poked around downstairs, looking through drawers and cabinets in the kitchen, looking at what kind of food they had in the pantry, what kind of drink they had in the fridge. He wasn’t doing anything to any of the stuff, he just liked the feeling that he was violating Ty’s privacy. Because fuck you.

Liam made his way upstairs and into the master bedroom. Ah. Now this was more like what he’d been expecting. He took in the king-sized bed, crisply made with military precision, smooth and tight as a drum. The pillows were perfectly aligned, plump and inviting. The nightstands were uncluttered, the few items on top organized neatly. Nothing seemed out of place; hell, nothing would dare. Liam sneered to himself. Some things never changed. There was one thing for certain, if he had a hot piece like Zane Garrett in his bed, no fucking way would he take the time to make the bed when he could be enjoying one last morning quickie with his lover before a week-long separation.

As Liam walked by, he kicked the bed hard, just because he could. He twitched a corner of the duvet out of place, resisting the urge to smash his fist into the center of one fluffy pillow and instead moving it just the slightest bit out of alignment with its mate. He pulled the drawer of the nightstand out a fraction of an inch, not really enough to be noticeable to just anyone, but he knew it would grate on Ty like fingernails on a chalkboard when he came home and saw it like that. Liam enjoyed the satisfaction that flooded through him at the thought.

Suddenly he stopped short. A picture sitting on the nightstand caught his eye, and he picked it up in his gloved hand for a closer look. It was in black-and-white, and looked like a professional shot. Ty sat on the end of a bed, dangling a pair of handcuffs off of one finger as he looked somberly at the camera. Zane was in the background, leaning against the headboard of the bed, his ankles crossed. Both of them were shirtless. It was a beautiful, haunting picture. Looking at it made Liam’s chest hurt.

He traced his finger over Ty’s face, lingering over his lips, stroking them, then running it over the tattoo and scars on Ty’s body, mapping them. How well he’d known this body once, knew it as well as he knew his own. Long-buried feelings washed over him, memories. His lips tightened as his eyes burned. He blinked rapidly, gritting his teeth together.

Setting the picture down with a loud thunk, he stalked over to the dresser and found what he was looking for, a man’s jewelry box full of watches and cufflinks, tie tacks, various lapel pins. He rooted around, lifting trays out and setting them aside, until he reached the velvet-lined bottom of the box. 

Rummaging in his pocket, Liam pulled out a small cylindrical object and held it up to the dim glow that shone into the room from the bathroom nightlight. It was a bullet, a dummy bullet that had had some of the powder taken out of it, the tip filed down, a bullet that was supposed to have bounced harmlessly off of a Kevlar vest those many months ago in an abandoned amusement park.

Liam held the bullet up a moment longer, then he kissed it and laid it reverently in the bottom of the box, replacing the items he’d taken out and placing them on top of the bullet, burying that symbol of hatred deep under the trappings of Ty’s normal life. Because fuck you, Tyler. Fuck you.

****

Around an hour later, Ryan leaned against the railing in front of Chiaparelli’s and watched Colin walk toward him, appreciating the view. The man moved with grace and confidence, his stride easy and relaxed. His face was another story. Ryan wondered where he had been, for the smooth charm from earlier was gone, replaced by a stiff tension, his mouth held taut, his eyes sharp and glittering. He looked angry, and dangerous.

Without really thinking it through, Ryan took two steps forward to meet Colin, his hand sliding around the back of the other man’s neck, leaning forward to press their lips together. Colin gasped and went ramrod stiff for a heart-stopping moment, then he moaned and relaxed into the kiss, his arms coming around Ryan to grip him tightly, fingers digging into Ryan’s back.

Ryan cupped Colin’s face in his hand, kissing him gently, their tongues tangling as their lips touched and parted, touched again. Finally Ryan pulled back, his thumb stroking Colin’s cheek as he pressed their foreheads together.

“Not that I’m complaining,” Colin said breathlessly, “but what was that for?”

Ryan smiled ruefully, stepping back and letting go of him. “You just looked like you needed it. Where did you go?”

Colin shrugged. “Just took a walk while I waited for you.”

“You looked angry.”

“Just thinking. For a minute they weren’t very pleasant thoughts.” Colin stepped closer again, his hands sliding up Ryan’s arms to his shoulders. “Then I saw you.”

Ryan’s arms circled Colin’s waist. “Yeah?” He leaned forward and nuzzled his nose against Colin’s cheek.

“Yeah,” Colin breathed.

“Now your thoughts are pleasant?” Ryan teased, his hands smoothing up and down Colin’s back.

“Oh, most pleasant, I assure you.”

Their lips met again, this time in gentle exploration, tentative, seeking. Colin took control of the kiss, his tongue tracing Ryan’s lips, urging them apart, then sliding inside Ryan’s mouth. They both moaned, angling their heads to deepen the kiss, hands tightening, digging in.

Colin pulled back, gasping, “Okay. Not the time and place for this.”

Their hands slid reluctantly away from each other, and Ryan grinned. “I promised you a hot dog.”

Colin’s eyebrows arched almost to his hairline, and he smirked. “Then by all means, mate, lead me to the weiner.”

****

About 15 minutes later, Liam stood gaping at the menu board in Stuggy’s Old-Fashioned Hot Dogs, which billed itself as Fells Point’s Finest Dogs. The menu was…stupefying. Hundreds of ways to fix and dress a simple hot dog. What happened to ketchup, mustard and pickle relish? Maybe sauerkraut if he was feeling adventurous.

“I’ll just share yours, love,” he murmured, pulling out his wallet and paying for Ryan’s meal over the other man’s protests, quelling him with a look.

Ryan led him about a block away to the waterfront park, and they sat down on a grassy embankment overlooking the harbor. It was a pleasant spring night, the air just the slightest bit nippy but not too cold. Ryan unwrapped his Late Night Dog and took a huge bite, moaning in pleasure at the taste. He offered it to Liam, who took it gingerly from him, then managed a small bite.

“Gah,” he choked, the taste of hot dog along with fried egg, bacon and mushrooms overwhelming him. He managed to swallow the bite, washing it down with gulps of Ryan’s Coke.

“Holy shit, that’s foul,” he gasped, wishing he could scrape his tongue off. Ryan laughed, finishing the hot dog with obvious relish.

“You don’t know what you’re missing, man. You British guys, though, with your…what is it, bangers and mash? Kidney pie? Blood pudding?” Ryan held up his Coke cup, his pinky finger out like he was holding a teacup, laughing at Liam’s expression. “High tea?”

Liam growled in mock annoyance. “Finish that swill, son, so we can get down to business.”

“What business?” Ryan stuffed his trash into the paper sack that his food had come in, wiping his hands and mouth with a napkin, turning to Liam expectantly. 

Liam lunged at him, pushing him back into the soft grass, coming down to settle over him. Ryan gasped as Liam’s mouth crashed down over his, no tentative kiss this time, but a possessive kiss, deep and wet. Ryan’s hands came up to grip Liam’s hair, and Liam’s hand slid down Ryan’s chest and further to his thigh, pulling Ryan’s leg up around Liam’s hip.

Liam gentled the kiss, pulling back to look into Ryan’s eyes.

“I’ve been wanting to do that since I met you,” he whispered, his hand brushing Ryan’s hair back from his forehead. Ryan’s lips were swollen from their kiss, and Liam was lost in how beautiful he was. Not only beautiful, but funny, kind and thoughtful. Liam couldn’t remember the last time he’d met someone like him, if he ever had, someone…normal, uncomplicated. When Ryan had stepped forward and kissed him so impulsively because he thought Liam had needed it, Liam had been lost.

Liam bent his head back to Ryan’s, taking his mouth again, and they kissed slowly, lazily, hands running over taut muscles, soft sounds of pleasure filling the night air. Finally Liam broke the kiss, his lips moving to graze Ryan’s forehead, the tip of his nose, before pulling away and sitting up.

“Hey,” Liam said softly, pulling Ryan up to sit next to him. “I need to go away for a couple of days.”

“Oh.” Ryan looked away. Liam took his chin and turned his face back toward his.

“I’ll be back, love. It’s only business. I’ll give you my number, and I want yours. I’ll call you, okay?” Liam didn’t know where that had come from. He really should just let this…whatever it was…die a natural death here. He’d found out a little while ago that his contact at the FBI had just come through with the information, and he needed to take it to his handler in DC. He could be done with this, with Baltimore, but he didn’t want to be, not yet. He wanted to do something for himself, dammit. Just for himself, just for a little while. He wanted Ryan.

Rolling smoothly to his feet, he leaned down and hauled Ryan up, too, gathering the trash and tossing it in a nearby bin. They walked silently down the paved path toward where Liam had parked his car on the curb about a block away. 

After a minute or two of silence, he felt Ryan’s fingers slide into his, and he let him lace their fingers together. They walked hand-in-hand, and it felt…good. Liam remembered Ty and Zane walking that way down the street, holding hands, out and happy, living their lives on their own terms. Liam knew that kind of life could never be his, but he could pretend for just a little while. Couldn’t he?

His fingers tightened on Ryan’s, and he felt Ryan squeeze back. They reached Liam’s small rental car, and a few minutes later they pulled up in front of Chiaparelli’s, where Ryan’s small pickup was parked in the back.

Liam fished his burner cell phone out from the glove compartment, and handed it to Ryan so that he could enter his number into it.

“I left my phone at home,” Ryan said apologetically.

Liam smiled at him. “No worries.” He picked up a pen from the center console, and reached over and took Ryan’s hand. He cupped Ryan’s hand palm-up in his, wrote his cell number on the meaty part, then folded Ryan’s fingers over it.

Holding Ryan’s gaze, he lifted Ryan’s wrist to his mouth, trailing the tip of his tongue over the vein pulsing there, then pressed a small, sucking kiss to the tender skin.

“I’ll call you,” he promised, letting go of Ryan’s hand reluctantly. Ryan smiled, a little sadly, then reached for the door handle and got out of the car. Right before he shut the door, he leaned down and whispered, “You’d better, you wanker.” The door slammed and he was gone.

Liam couldn’t remember the last time he’d shouted with laughter like that, but God, it felt good.

****

Ryan closed the door to his apartment and leaned against it briefly, a goofy smile on his face. He looked down at his hand, and the number written on it. It was already a little smudged, so he moved to the kitchen counter and unplugged his phone from its charger, entering Colin’s number in his contacts list before it was lost. Would he really have the courage to call the other man? He wasn’t sure, but it was comforting to have the number, nevertheless.

Ryan knew that he was completely infatuated. Colin was everything he wanted, intelligent and attentive…and with an air of worldly experience that Ryan found wildly attractive. In addition to that, the man was sexy-hot, and that accent…

Ryan reached down and ran his palm across his crotch. He’d been painfully aroused during that kissing session on the grass, and it hadn’t abated much. A shower and jerk-off session was in order, along with accompanying fantasies of full lips, a hot wet tongue in his mouth and on his body, a smooth British voice whispering in his ear…

Ryan groaned. His cock was at full mast again and he was desperate for relief. He started in surprise as his phone suddenly vibrated in his hand. The number was familiar, especially since Ryan had been staring at it written on his hand for the last half hour. He answered, knowing that the smile was evident in his voice.

“Hello?”

“What are you doing?” 

Ryan shivered as the sound of that voice washed over him, low and intimate.

“Thinking about you,” he answered honestly, moving toward his bedroom as he spoke.

“I’ve been thinking about you for days,” Colin murmured. “Haven’t stopped.”

Ryan flushed with pleasure as he laughed self-consciously. He lay down on his bed, wedging the phone between his ear and the pillow.

“Now I get to think about what it’s like to kiss you, touch you, and I want more. So much more.”

“Can you come over tonight, Colin?” Ryan asked achingly. “I’ll make sure you’re up in time for your flight or whatever.”

“I can’t, love,” Colin said with what sounded like true regret in his voice. “I’m sorry. You don’t know how much I wish that I could.”

“I wish you could, too.” Ryan took a deep breath. “I want you, Colin.”

“And you’ll be getting me, I promise you,” the voice was a low purr. Ryan groaned, his hand sliding underneath the waistband of his jeans to rub himself.

“What exactly will I be getting?” Ryan asked breathlessly, a little surprised at his boldness.

Colin growled softly. “The way I’m feeling right now, darling, what you’ll be getting is me ripping your clothes off with my teeth.”

“Yes,” Ryan gasped, his breaths quickening, his hand moving faster.

“You’ll be getting me licking you from head to toe, sucking, biting…” Colin paused. “Take your clothes off now, all of them. I want you naked.”

Ryan sat up and hastily disrobed, throwing his clothes to the floor in a heap. He lay back down on the bed, re-wedging the phone to a comfortable position.

“I’m back,” he gasped.

“Good. I want to look at you. Spread your legs, pull your knees up so I can see you.”

Ryan moaned under his breath and complied, his hand reaching down to adjust his stiff cock so that it lay along his belly.

“Ryan,” Colin said, “I want you to imagine that your hand is my hand. Now my hand is touching your lips, tracing them, oh, so softly.”

Ryan hesitated, embarrassed. His hand hovered over his mouth. Colin seemed to read his mind.

“I want to touch you, Ryan. Touch your lips for me.”

Ryan’s fingers were shaking as he traced his fingertips over his lips, closing his eyes and imagining that it was Colin’s touch, not his own. 

“Yes,” Colin whispered in his ear. “I can feel your breaths, your tongue as it comes out to taste. My fingers are in your mouth now. Suck on my fingers, baby.”

Ryan slid two fingers into his own mouth, sucking on them, flicking the tips of them with his tongue.

“That’s it. I like that,” Colin breathed. “Now my wet fingers are sliding down your chin, slowly, down your neck to your chest. I’m exploring…” 

Ryan was completely caught up in the fantasy. His fingers were Colin’s, touching him, feeling him, arousing him. He slid his wet fingers over to one of his nipples, circling it over and over. He caught his breath in a sharp gasp.

“Mmm, I’m touching your nipple, aren’t I?” Colin murmured. “I can tell that you like it. Touch yourself how you want me to touch you.”

“Colin, it feels so good,” Ryan’s breaths were broken gasps as he pinched his nipple hard, then slid over to the other one and repeated the action, circling, then pinching. Both of his nipples were diamond hard, swollen and aching.

“I know it does, love. I can see how hard you are, how much you love what I’m doing to you,” Colin purred in response, his voice hoarse.

“Touch my cock, Colin. I need to feel your hands on me,” Ryan pleaded, immersed in the fantasy, Colin’s low, intimate voice filling his ears, taking over his senses.

“Oh, I’ll get there, darling. I’m not going to neglect one single inch of that incredible body. My fingers slide down now, tracing the muscles in your stomach, your abdomen.”

Ryan slid his hand down his body, flattening his palm across his lower abdomen, resting it there, riding the restless movements of his hips as he lifted them, seeking.

“Oh God, touch me, Colin, please!”

Colin hissed, “Yes, I’m touching you now, gripping you tight. Feeling you fill my hand, hot and hard.”

Ryan grasped his cock with a moan of relief, tightening his fingers into a fist, beginning to jack himself firmly, pre-cum running freely, slicking the way. He cried out.

“Fuck my fist, Ryan! Fuck it hard. And watch me! I want you to watch me while I make you come.” Colin’s voice was hoarse and guttural, his breaths catching.

Ryan lifted his head and looked down at himself, watching his cock as he thrust it through the tunnel of his own tight fist, the swollen head emerging and disappearing again with the motions of his hips. He whimpered at the sight.

“I’m so close, Colin,” he moaned, his free hand sliding down to cup his balls, long fingers massaging and squeezing. “Make me come!”

“Come on, love. Give it up for me now,” Colin urged. “Come hard for me!”

Ryan cried out Colin’s name as he felt his balls draw up tight against his body, his orgasm slamming into him. His back arched off the bed as his cock pulsed, hot jets of cum splashing up onto his belly and chest. He groaned, rocking through it, breath coming in heaving gasps, Colin’s voice crooning to him through the phone, telling him how beautiful he was, how sexy.

Finally Ryan quieted, his body boneless. He felt like he was melting down into the bed, and his voice was a whisper.

“Colin?”

“Mmm?”

“Hurry back.”

****

Liam ended the call, lying on his hotel bed in a sweaty, sticky mess. He’d been right there with Ryan, stroking himself to the hardest orgasm he’d had in recent memory, imagining his hands, his lips, his tongue worshipping that beautiful body. 

As he lay there recovering, Liam wondered what the hell he thought he was doing, fucking around with this man. He didn’t have the time for this. He’d accomplished what he’d set out to do, gathered the information from the FBI mole he’d recruited a couple of years ago, and he should be done. Out of there, on to the next.

Ryan. He was dangerous. He made Liam want things that he knew he could never have, didn’t deserve. He should just end it now before Ryan got hurt. Suddenly it was very important to Liam that Ryan not get hurt. And that scared the shit out of him. 

His mind made up, Liam rose from the bed and went to take a shower.

****

Ryan waved goodbye to his customers and started clearing their table. He had a large tray full of dirty dishes that he was juggling in his hands when the front door to the restaurant opened and Ty walked in. Ryan felt a pleased smile break out over his face at the sight of him. He hadn’t seen Ty and Zane in a couple of weeks now. Zane had ended up staying in New York for another week working on his case, and Ty didn’t usually come into the restaurant on his own.

“Hey, Ty,” he called out, taking his burden back to the kitchen and then coming out to lean against the counter. “You waiting to meet Zane?”

“I wanted to talk to you, actually,” Ty said. 

Ryan raised his eyebrows and nodded. “What’s up?”

“Have you noticed anything unusual around the neighborhood recently, heard of any break-ins, vandalism, anything like that?”

“No,” Ryan said with concern. “Did something happen at your house?”

“Nothing I can put my finger on,” Ty said with obvious frustration. “Something is off. Somebody was in our house, but there’s nothing missing, nothing really out of place. It’s so fucking weird.”

“How do you know somebody was in your house?”

Ty waved his hand in a vague gesture. “We have a sort of security system that will show if there’s any kind of intrusion, and it went off one night while we were both gone, but like I said, absolutely nothing is missing.” He snorted. “Zane thinks I’m out of my fucking mind, that it was a glitch in the system or something. Believe me, we’ve been over every inch of our house. I just have this feeling…” 

Ty slammed his fist lightly down on the counter. “So I got the brilliant idea to ask you. You’re plugged in to the neighborhood. You would know if there was any shit going on around here that didn’t fit.”

Ryan shook his head. “Sorry, man, I haven’t noticed. I’ve been…kind of busy anyway.” He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face.

“Oh, really,” Ty drawled. “Do tell.”

Ryan blushed. “Well, I’m kind of…seeing someone. For a few weeks now.”

“Christ, don’t tell Zane. It’ll break his heart.”

Ryan laughed. “I want you guys to meet him. Why don’t you come in one night for dinner? Maybe this weekend?”

“Sure. It’ll be fun to torture Zane with it anyway. Is this guy hot?” Ty asked, frowning as he started patting his pockets looking for his phone, which had started to ring. 

“Smoking hot. And he’s got this sexy acc –“ Ryan broke off as Ty held up a finger to silence him, mouthing, “It’s Zane,” as he put the phone to his ear. Ryan waved him off good-naturedly, hearing Ty murmur, “Hey, baby,” as he walked out the door.

Ryan smiled, thinking how nice it was to have somebody of his own to think about and to miss during the day. After that night of epic phone sex, Ryan hadn’t heard from Colin in three long days. As he went to bed each night, he made sure his phone was turned up as loud as it would go, even sleeping with it on the pillow next to him so that the accompanying vibration would help wake him up if it rang. But the phone had remained frustratingly silent.

On one occasion Ryan had dredged up the courage to call the number that Colin had given him, but when he dialed, it went right to voice mail and he hadn’t left a message. That was the one and only time he’d been able to bring himself to call.

Then on the third night, Ryan was letting himself into his apartment when a warm body had pressed itself against him from behind, strong arms sliding around his waist. Ryan had started in fright at first, his arms flailing, but a familiar voice had whispered in his ear, “Easy, love. It’s only me.”

Ryan turned around instantly and practically climbed Colin like a tree, frantically kissing him, wrapping around him. They’d gotten Ryan’s front door open and stumbled in, clothing hastily torn off and flung aside, and Colin had taken Ryan right there in the kitchen, bent over the miniscule dining room table. Afterwards Ryan had lain beneath him, sweaty and gasping for breath, as Colin’s lips had roamed over the back of his neck, his shoulders. He could have sworn he heard Colin whisper, “I just couldn’t stay away.”

Then Colin had led him to the bedroom and started all over again, but this time slowly, taking his own sweet time, bringing Ryan to heights of such exquisite pleasure that he’d torn holes in the sheet with his teeth as he’d bitten down into it, his fists twisting so tightly into the abused sheets that he’d lost feeling in his fingers.

He’d been with Colin almost every night thereafter for the next three weeks, mostly at Ryan’s apartment but occasionally at Colin’s extended-stay hotel room. When they were together at Ryan’s apartment, Colin always left after Ryan fell asleep. Even when Ryan stayed at Colin’s place, Colin didn’t come to bed with him but stayed out watching TV or working in the suite’s living room, dozing on the couch but always coming instantly awake at Ryan’s smallest movement, no matter how much he tried to be quiet. Ryan wondered why Colin wouldn’t sleep in the bed with him, but he didn’t say anything.

Then one day Colin had stopped by the restaurant to issue an impulsive invitation for Ryan to go away with him for the weekend. They had driven up to Connecticut where Colin had rented a small cabin in the woods, and they had spent three days hiking and exploring the area, eating at wonderful restaurants, talking and making love in front of a roaring fire during the chilly evenings. On those nights they had fallen asleep wrapped up in each other’s arms in the king-sized bed, and Ryan hadn’t questioned why, just reveled in the closeness. 

On their last night in the cabin, Ryan had gotten up to use the restroom, and on his way back to bed, he’d felt the impulse to grab his phone from the nightstand and snap a picture of Colin sleeping peacefully on his back, covers around his waist, his arms thrown up over his head. Ryan had smiled, then slipped back into the cozy bed, wrapping himself around Colin’s warm body, feeling strong arms closing around him, lips feathering over his temple. 

Ryan couldn’t remember ever being so happy. He tried to remain realistic, knowing that Colin had never said that this was anything more than temporary, a good time, but Ryan couldn’t keep himself from dreaming about…more.

****

Liam stood outside Ryan’s apartment, his forehead leaning against the wall, his fists clenched. It was time to end this. He’d let it go on longer than he’d intended, intoxicated by feelings that he couldn’t remember ever having. Liam wasn’t sure if he had it in him to truly feel happiness, he didn’t even know what that was, but when he was with Ryan, he felt content, at peace. Ryan was good for him, good to him, and what was Liam to him in return? A fucking nightmare.

One night not long ago, Liam had had an upsetting phone call that he’d stepped out onto his balcony to take, another incompetent asshole that was fucking with his life. He’d been enraged at the end of the call, his fist clenching so hard on the phone that he’d almost broken it. Ryan had chosen that moment to come out onto the balcony. He’d seen Liam’s face and stepped over to him, the concern evident.

“Colin, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Liam had been curt, hoping Ryan would take the hint.

“Yes, there is. Did you get bad news?”

“Drop it, Ryan.”

Ryan had tried to take Liam in his arms.

“Don’t. I said drop it!” Liam had practically snarled the words.

“Colin, I want to help…”

Liam had lost it. “I don’t want, or need, your bloody help! Don’t you get it? It’s none of your fucking business!” He shoved Ryan away from him, ignoring his stricken look, and slammed back into the room, stalking toward the bathroom to hide in a hot shower.

As Liam stood under the pounding spray, he’d heard the glass shower door squeak open and felt a rush of cold air. Ryan had come to stand close behind him, reaching to take the bottle of shampoo that Liam had held loosely in his hand. After a moment, Liam had felt strong fingers in his hair, massaging the shampoo in gently, rubbing his scalp soothingly. Ryan washed and rinsed Liam’s hair, then had taken the bottle of body wash and soaped Liam’s entire body with a touch that had at first been calming and comforting, then arousing. 

When Liam was hard and aching, Ryan had slipped to his knees in front of him and had taken him into his mouth, his lips and tongue worshipping every inch of Liam’s cock, a hand stroking in rhythm, slick fingers caressing and massaging swollen, heavy balls. Liam had come hard, his fingers twisted in Ryan’s wet hair, jets of cum spurting over Ryan’s chin and chest.

Liam’s knees were weak after his orgasm, and Ryan had stood and rinsed quickly, his arm supporting Liam around the waist. He’d turned off the water, grabbed a towel and dried Liam off thoroughly. Liam had stood quietly, letting Ryan minister to him, letting Ryan lead him to the bed and tuck him in like a child. He’d kissed Liam’s forehead gently, then gathered up his clothes and left. Not a word had been spoken the entire time. Liam had never felt so cherished and…loved…in his entire life. 

These were feelings that he could get used to, could start to crave, to need. For the first time, he could see a future that he’d never wanted before and it scared the ever-loving shit out of him. He had to end this tonight. He had to hurt Ryan now in order to spare him unimaginable pain later. Liam knew that it had to be done, knew that if he grabbed on to what he selfishly wanted, that he would destroy Ryan in the end. It’s what he did, what he was. This couldn’t go on any longer, or else Liam wouldn’t be able to let him go. Ryan. 

Pain washed through him, and Liam squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath, looking for the blessed numbness, packing everything away into that box. He rapped on the door.

“Hey!” Ryan flung open the door with a happy grin, not even noticing Liam’s grim face. He cupped Liam’s cheek and leaned in for a kiss, and Liam couldn’t help but respond to the warm pressure of firm lips, the hot silk of a probing tongue. The last time I’ll kiss him. No. Numbness. They broke apart, and Ryan stroked Liam’s face, his thumb tracing Liam’s lips briefly before stepping back and letting Liam into the apartment.

“Are you hungry? I was hoping to go to the restaurant tonight. My friends are going to be there for dinner and I wanted you to meet them. They’re great, you’ll like them a lot.” 

This was it. This was the opening Liam needed, and he took it, stuffing his hands into his pockets to hide their shaking. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, love.”

“Why? It’s my friends Ty and Zane. You saw them when you walked with me to their house, remember? I told them a little bit about you and –“

“And why would you do that?” Liam’s voice was soft.

Ryan blinked. “Why? Because I wanted them to know that –“

“Know what?” 

“Well, that you and I – we’re –“

“We’re what? That we’re fucking? I’ll shout it to the skies if you want, darling, but I don’t think your friends need to meet your fuck buddy. Do you?”

Ryan stood silent, his face gone white.

“Is that all I am to you, your fuck buddy?” he asked quietly.

Liam laughed. “Well, you’re a damn good one. Best I’ve had in – well, a while. There was somebody in Cleveland that –“

“Don’t.” Ryan whispered. “I get it.”

“No, I don’t think you do.” The numbness had taken hold, and Liam felt nothing as he walked up to Ryan and grabbed his chin. He leaned in, his nose inches from Ryan’s, his voice a hiss.

“I don’t do relationships. I don’t want them, I don’t need them. If you want to fuck, I’m your man. I don’t want to meet your friends. I don’t want to meet your family.”

Ryan jerked his chin away, and the pain in his eyes almost knocked Liam to his knees. He gritted his teeth. Numbness.

Ryan’s voice was hoarse as he said, “Okay, good to know.”

Liam leaned negligently against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. He smirked, blessedly feeling nothing. Almost over. He saw Ryan square his shoulders and take a deep breath.

“So fuck me.”

“What?” Liam was taken aback.

“You said if I want to fuck, you’re my man. So…fuck me.”

Liam gaped as Ryan unbuttoned his shirt, tossing it to the floor. He undid his pants, shoved them and his underwear off and kicked them away, then spread his arms wide in a what-are-you-waiting-for gesture. Now he was the one smirking.

Liam took two long strides and gripped Ryan around the back of his neck, taking his mouth in a rush, no gentleness or tenderness evident, just brute force. He ravished Ryan’s mouth with his tongue, pulling back after long minutes, leaving Ryan’s lips bruised and swollen.

“Is that what you want, love? Because I can give that to you all night long,” Liam breathed. Please, Ryan, no more. Let it end. Please.

“Give it to me.” Ryan moved over to the couch and bent over the back of it, spreading his legs wide. Liam growled, stepping over to him and slapping his bare ass hard, leaving a red welt. He did it again. Ryan groaned, lifting his ass into the strike.

Don’t push me, Ryan. I don’t want to hurt you. The agonized voice in Liam’s head almost overwhelmed him as he kicked Ryan’s legs wider apart and then knelt behind him. He massaged Ryan’s ass cheeks roughly, rubbing the welts, digging his nails in. Ryan moaned, the sound of both pleasure and pain.

“You want more, darling?” Liam spread Ryan’s ass cheeks wide and blew into his cleft.

Ryan pushed his ass back toward Liam. “Don’t call me that again,” he hissed. “Or ask me again if I want it. I’m not going to make this easy on you, Colin! Give it to me or leave.”

Liam knew he should leave, spare them both, but he was a bastard at heart, and he wanted to take what Ryan was offering. He wanted him. One more time.

He squeezed Ryan’s muscular ass cheeks, plumping them, then leaned in and bit down right on the meatiest part of one cheek. Ryan gasped. Liam soothed the bite with his tongue, then kissed it. He repeated the action on the other cheek, then trailed his tongue down to where Ryan’s balls hung heavy and low between his wide-spread legs. Liam mouthed them, sucking them, rolling them. Ryan was gasping, begging, as Liam trailed his tongue up to the sensitive skin between Ryan’s balls and his asshole, his tongue tracing designs, licking.

“Mmm,” Liam hummed. He spread Ryan’s ass cheeks wide and dove in between them with his mouth, his tongue licking Ryan’s cleft from bottom to top, over and over, making him wet.

“Yes,” Ryan whimpered as Liam pointed his tongue and rimmed Ryan’s fluttering hole, softening the muscles, pushing in as Ryan pushed out. Soon Liam was fucking Ryan with his tongue, forcing the tip of it inside the other man, riding the motions as Ryan rolled his hips, pushing back.

Liam sat back on his heels and looked at Ryan’s hole, now relaxed and open. Liam spit on two fingers and rubbed the saliva around them, slicking them up, before standing up and shoving those fingers deep in Ryan’s ass. They both moaned as Liam thrust deep, twisting wickedly, scissoring his fingers, opening Ryan wide.

“Come on, Colin,” Ryan taunted. “Fuck me. Do what you came to do. Fuck me, then leave.”

Liam snarled, pulling his fingers out and groping in the back pocket of his jeans for a condom, praying there would be one there. He found one, ripping the foil packet open with his teeth as he opened his jeans and shoved them to his knees. He suited up quickly, then spit on his hand and rubbed the saliva over his sheathed cock.

He gripped Ryan’s hips, sliding his cock between his cheeks, lubing Ryan up, before lining up and forcing the head of his cock into him. Ryan cried out, lifting his hips into the sharp digging, his hands gripping the seat cushions of the couch as he breathed through the pain.

“More!” he goaded. “Come on!”

Liam thrust deep, groaning long and low at the sensation of a tight, hot vise gripping his cock. He was almost mindless with lust and emotion, and he dug his fingers into Ryan’s hips as he set a brutal rhythm, fucking him hard and fast.

“Oh, yes,” Ryan gasped, his hips pushing into Liam’s thrusts, driving them both on. He started a litany of words, “Give it to me. Do it. Harder. More.” Liam wanted to tell him to shut the fuck up, but his throat was tight, words welling up that he didn’t dare speak, didn’t trust himself not to say…he gritted his teeth against them, letting them roar inside his head, echo in his ears. I’m sorry. Forgive me. Please don’t make me go.

Ryan braced himself on one arm against the cushion, his other hand reaching between his body and the couch as he started to pump his cock hard.

“I’m going to come, Colin! Don’t stop!”

Liam stood on his toes and angled his thrusts toward Ryan’s prostate, seeking, feeling the other man’s ass clamp down hard at the stimulation. Ryan’s hand was moving on himself, and Liam felt the contractions of Ryan’s orgasm start deep inside, rolling in waves, massaging Liam’s driving cock, milking it. Ryan reached down between both of their legs and gripped Liam’s balls, rolling them, forcing Liam’s orgasm out of him. He cried out as his cock started to pulse deep inside Ryan, climax slamming into him, dimly aware of Ryan sobbing as Ryan came hard against the back of his leather couch, hot trails of cum jetting, sliding down to drip onto the floor.

Liam collapsed across Ryan’s sweaty back, his shirt buttons digging into Ryan’s skin. His hips were still moving, stroking them both through the last vestiges of their orgasm, both of them moaning as it went on and on. Finally Liam stilled, one hand sliding into Ryan’s hair, pulling his head back. 

He had to take back the control that he’d so spectacularly lost and do what he came to do. Unequivocally end this. He put his lips to Ryan’s ear as he whispered, “Damn, kid, but you’re a good fuck.”

He felt Ryan’s whole body stiffen beneath him and they both froze for a breathless minute before Liam carefully pulled out and took a step back. He watched as Ryan pushed up to a standing position and turned slowly around. He had chafe marks from the back of the couch along his waist and abdomen, and his hip bones already had bruises on them from being forced so hard into the unforgiving frame of the couch. His eyes met Liam’s steadily, no expression in them whatsoever.

“Likewise,” he whispered.

Without another word, he turned and strode with grace and dignity from the room, leaving Liam standing alone.

****

Ryan stood in the shower, the hot water beating down on him. He was leaning against the tiled wall, his forehead pressed to his braced arm. He was dry-eyed, though he felt like his insides were being clawed to shreds with the pain.

He shouldn’t be so surprised. He knew deep down that this was coming, and it was his own damn fault for thinking that Colin might want more. When Colin had called him a fuck buddy, Ryan knew exactly what he was trying to do: pick a fight so that Ryan would be the bad guy, the one that threw Colin out, making it that much easier for Colin to walk away. Fuck that. He wasn’t going to make this easier on him. Although being fucked over the back of the couch wasn’t exactly how Ryan would have wanted to say good-bye, he at least felt that he had a few shreds of his pride and dignity left. The look on Colin’s face had been priceless, and the sex was mind-blowingly good as always.

Ryan couldn’t blame Colin, not really. He had never indicated that Ryan was anything more than a fuck buddy, Ryan was the sap that had to go and fall in love. He just hadn’t expected the end to be quite so…brutal. Now he would go on, one day at a time, and get over it. Chalk it up to life experience. He snorted. Those were brave words that might mean something someday; now he just felt like shit and wanted to crawl into bed and never come out.

He dried off and slid naked into bed, pulling the covers up to his neck, not even bothering to go check and see if Colin had left. There was no reason for him to have stayed. At least Ryan had had the satisfaction of getting in the last word. He curled up on his side, exhaling a deep sigh that turned into a sob. At last the tears fell.

****

Zane looked at Ty with concern in his eyes. “What’s wrong with Ryan tonight? He looks like shit.”

Ty didn’t answer, just turned and looked at Ryan, who was a few tables away taking his customers’ order. Ty could see that the man had lost weight, his face all sharp angles. He was pale, his eyes dull. 

When he came back to deliver their drink order, Ty hooked a chair from the empty table nearby and dragged it over. He pointed at it. “Sit.” Ryan obediently sat. He looked desperately unhappy.

“Okay, kid. Spill. What’s wrong with you?”

Ryan sighed, plucking at his apron strings nervously. “Sorry, guys. I just had a bad breakup. I try not to let it show at work, but…”

Zane winced in sympathy, leaning over to pat Ryan’s arm. “That’s rough. I’m sorry.”

“The guy you were telling me about the other day?” Ty exclaimed. “Shit, I thought that was going well!”

Ryan snorted. “Yeah, so did I, at the time. The thing is, he was only here temporarily on business, so I should have…it’s just…I had hopes, you know? Stupid.”

“Not stupid,” Zane said gently. “Just human.”

“Yeah, well…” Ryan stood, saying, “I need to get back to work.” He smiled wanly at them as he walked off.

After they ate, as Ty was paying their bill, he saw Zane standing with Ryan in the short hallway that led back to the kitchen. Zane patted his shoulder, then walked up to Ty.

“He’s done with his shift, so I invited him back to the house for coffee. You don’t mind, do you? He just really needs a friend right now.”

Ty grunted. “No, I don’t mind, but shit, not really how I wanted to spend the evening, listening to a sob story.”

Zane elbowed him. “Be good.”

Fifteen minutes later, the three men were ensconced in Ty and Zane’s living room, drinks in hand, beer for Ty and Ryan, coffee for Zane.

“So, tell me about him,” Zane invited, glaring at Ty warningly when Ty sighed heavily. Ryan didn’t seem to notice, launching into how he met the guy, whose name was apparently Colin Something. Ty felt his mind drift until he caught the words, “British accent.”

“What?” he said sharply. “This guy was British? What did he look like?”

“What does that matter?” Zane asked with disgust. 

“Think about it, Zane!” Ty exclaimed. “A British guy? I’ve been thinking that something was off around here, a feeling I’ve had, remember? The disturbance in the Force?” Ty sneered at Zane, then turned back to Ryan.

“What did he look like?”

Ryan stammered for a moment, “Well, he’s…he’s a little shorter than I am, blond, blue eyes. Wait! I have a picture!”

Ty sighed in relief. “It can’t be Bell, then. He would never allow his picture to be taken.”

“I took it while he was asleep, he didn’t even know I’d done it.” Ryan fumbled with his phone, bringing up a picture. “I was going to delete it, but I couldn’t. Not yet.” He turned the screen around so that Ty could see it.

Ty stared in disbelief for a moment, then exploded up out of the chair. “Son of a fucking bitch!” He stood and paced around the room, clutching his hair. Zane took the phone from Ryan’s hand and looked at the picture, the blood draining from his face.

“What? What is it?” Ryan sounded frightened, and Ty took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He sat back down next to Ryan.

“That man isn’t named Colin Whatever. His name is Liam Bell, and he’s a very, very bad man.” Ty explained briefly who Liam was, that he was one of Ty’s worst enemies, not going into any detail, just that there was some bad history there.

Suddenly Zane leaped to his feet. “Shit, Ty, you said someone was in the house while we were gone! It must have been Bell!” He lunged for the cordless phone that was sitting on the coffee table.

Ty stood back up, gripping Zane’s arm. “What are you doing?”

“What do you think I’m doing? I’m calling the fucking Bomb Squad! Who knows what he might have planted in here! He hates you, Ty! Jesus, we need to get out of here!”

“Hey, baby, calm down,” Ty said soothingly, taking the phone from Zane’s hand and tossing it to the couch.

“Calm down? What the fuck, Ty?” Zane hissed, trying to push Ty aside to get to the phone. Ty gripped Zane’s upper arms tightly.

“Zane, listen,” he said urgently. “It’s not Liam’s style to plant a bomb, and boom, lights out for me.”

Zane stopped struggling, looking at Ty. “What?”

“You heard me. Liam would want me to know that it was him. He would want me to see it coming. There’s no bomb, baby, trust me.”

Zane blew out a breath, his hands coming up to scrub at his face. Ty squeezed his arms before letting him go, then picked up the cordless phone and handed it back to Zane.

“The fucker may have left some listening devices, though. Call the techs to come and sweep the place.”

As Zane stepped into the next room to make the call, Ty sat down next to Ryan, who was shaking from reaction. He put his arm around him.

“Hey, it’s not your fault. He’s a master manipulator, the best I’ve ever seen. You didn’t stand a chance, kid,” Ty said gently.

Ryan’s voice wobbled, he was so close to tears. “It was bad enough, the fact that he was just using me to have a good time while he was in town. But to think he was using me to try and hurt you and Zane?” 

Ty tightened his arm around Ryan in mute sympathy.

“I thought he cared about me at least a little. I thought I at least had that. He’s a good actor,” Ryan said bitterly.

“He did care about you, Ryan,” Ty said, and Ryan looked at him in disbelief.

“How can you know that? You said he was a master manipulator, and now I can’t believe one word that he ever said to me.”

Ty took Ryan’s phone from his limp hand, swiped the screen to wake the phone up and display the picture of Liam again.

“In all the years I’ve known him, Ryan,” Ty said quietly, “he has never allowed himself to fall asleep with somebody. He doesn’t trust anybody enough to do that, and that’s not something that he ever does.” 

Ty pointed at the picture of Liam sleeping peacefully in Ryan’s bed. “He cared about you.”

Ty watched sadly as the rest of the color drained from Ryan’s face and he bolted up from the couch and ran out the door. Poor kid. What a fucking nightmare.

****

Liam Bell stood in his favorite shadowed alcove across the street and watched Ryan burst out Ty and Zane’s front door and run down the street, swiping his hand across his eyes. They must have figured it out, then, and told Ryan the truth about him. He knew that the last of Ryan’s illusions had just been shattered, and he rubbed the ache in his chest at the thought.

When he’d seen the three of them walk from Chiaparelli’s toward Ty and Zane’s row house, for the first time ever, Liam’s burning gaze hadn’t been fixed on Tyler. In fact, he hadn’t even spared him a second glance. Instead, he’d watched Ryan hungrily, missing him, aching for him.

Liam knew that Ryan would eventually get over him, and he would go on with his life and find someone and be happy. He was a good kid; a kind, funny, intelligent man that anyone in their right mind would snap up in an instant. There was someone out there that was so much better for Ryan, someone that he deserved. And that someone wasn’t Liam Bell.

For that reason alone, turning and walking away was the easiest thing Liam had ever done.


End file.
